This DVD shows how you can improve your skills as a window cleaner, helping you to work faster and more efficiently hence earning more money. It also offers useful tips regarding organisation and motivation.

32. Wipe your blade with your fingers if there are trailing lines on the window. There could be hair or dirt on the blade.

33. Experiment with different types of rubber blade and find one suits your preference.

34. Hold hand tools such as the mop and blade loosely with the thumb pointing upwards. This will give your wrist free movement.

35. The rubber blade should run sharp on the window. To ensure this donít press on too hard or the rubber will bend and create a dull edge.

36. Avoid Georgian windows and old original style leaded windows.

37. For dirty Georgian windows use a small mop and blade. If the windows are fairly clean dab a small amount of solution on each pane and use a microfibre cloth to polish them up.

38. On dirty leaded windows use an old rubber blade, clean as normal and then polish up with a dry microfibre cloth.

Water Fed Pole Window Cleaning Tips

1. When making the change to water fed pole, keep your customers in the picture by explaining to them how it works and the reasons for your decision. Be sure to mention that they should expect the windows to be left wet.

2. For first time cleans with a water fed pole use plenty of water and do all the frames first and then go back to do the windows afterwards, being careful not to touch the top frame.

3. Test the purity (TDS) of the water regularly.

4. To avoid spotting, rinse well and keep the brush head clean.

5. Avoid using the water fed pole on air vents above windows as dirty water will continue to run out for some time.

6. Rock back and forward on your feet to move the brush up and down to reduce the stress on your arms and shoulders.

7. Unreel the hose to the most distant point. Start work at the furthest point away and work back.

8. Use high visibility anti-kink hoses to minimize trip hazard and to save time undoing kinks.

9. Wind the hoses in neatly and they will be easier to unwind the next time.

10. Make sure the window is closed properly before using the water fed pole to avoid getting water inside.

11. Donít waste pure water. If you are quick with traditional methods you may wish to only do the upstairs with the pure water system to save water.

12. Donít rest the brush against the wall.

13. Soak the brushes over night with a few drops of glass cleaning solution. Rinse it off in the morning.

14. Invest in a good quality pole and brush head.

15. Use a system with an adjustable flow rate.

16. Use high quality hose connectors.

17. Ensure water tanks and barrels are professionally fitted and secured in the back of your vehicle.

18. Use a leisure battery rather than a car battery for powering your pump.

19. Use a split charger to charge the pump battery as you drive.

20. As an alternative to a transfer pump for transferring pure water from your storage tank to the transportable tank, make the base of the storage tank higher than the top level of the transportable tank and use gravity to transfer the water.

22. Use two DI vessels of mixed bed resin in line to prolong the resin life. Use the first vessel until the TDS level rises to that of the mains TDS then the second vessel becomes the first in line and a new vessel of resin replaces the second one.

Pricing Tips

1. Have a minimum charge. Calculate prices based on estimated time involved.

2. Never agree a price for a job before seeing and inspecting what is involved.

3. Refine your round. Price well for new work and drop your poor work.

4. The cheapest price doesnít always win the quote. When quoting or tendering, sell your business for reliability, professionalism and safety record and not just because you are the cheapest.

5. Before giving a price to do inside a house or office, ask if the occupants smoke. Nicotine on the windows will be much harder to clean and will slow you down.

6. For first time cleans suggest that the frames are also thoroughly cleaned and charge extra.

7. Allow for travel time when pricing work.

8. Establish prices and your terms and conditions before starting a job.

9. Donít deliberately undercut another window cleaner.

These two jobs are both standard three bedroomed semi detached. How much would you charge for just the front?

There is no set answer. However here are some points to consider:

What cleaning and access methods will be used?

Are the frames included?

Which one will take longer and why?

How close is the next job?

When was the last time they were cleaned?

How long will the job take in total?

What hourly rate do you aim to achieve?

Marketing Tips

1. Wear a suitable, presentable uniform and be clean shaven.

2. Use good stationary, showing your address, contact number and website address if you have one.

3. Invest in sign writing your van and keep the van clean.

4. If you do mainly domestic work, do a leaflet drop around the area that you work. One or two days later, follow them up by door to door canvassing. Identify yourself by referring to the leaflet.

5. If your work is maily commercial, send a well written sales letter to the jobs you wish to tender for and ask them to keep it on file. Follow the letter up with a phone call.

6. Create a website and advertise on the internet.

Window Cleaning Health and Safety Tips

1. If you need to use a ladder, be sure to use a ladder safety device.

2. Look after your hands. Wear purpose made waterproof gloves in the winter.

3. Wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) including good sturdy shoes or boots with a good grip.

4. Carry out regular, documented ladder checks.

5. Always carry out a risk assessment. If you employ 5 or more persons, document risk assessments and create a health ans safety policy.

6. Cover hoses with matting in front of entrances and over public pavements and use safety signs where floors may be wet and slippery.

Customer Rapport Tips

1. Use the customers name. Be friendly and polite. Smile!

2. From time to time ask the customer if everything is OK and if they are happy with your work. Tell them that if there are any problems which need resolving, to let you know. This shows to them that you are interested in you and your staff doing a good job. If you are a supervisor, show that you make regular checks.

3. Donít smoke or use bad language around the customerís property.

4. When the customer is not present at the time of the clean, leave a note to say that you have been and cleaned the windows.

5. Ask for permission beforehand if you will need to climb over a gate or garage roof for access.

6. On domestic properties, leave the windows near the door until last. When collecting as you work, ring the doorbell before you have finished so that you can continue cleaning some windows whilst you chat with the customer, or while you wait for the householder to get the money.

7. Go the extra mile on first time cleans. The first impression is very important.

Round Organisation Tips

1. Start early in the day. Make an appointment for the first job of the day.

2. Minimize the number of customers that require you to phone beforehand. Those that do request this for access purposes could be done by appointment as the first job of the day.

3. Keep your work as compact as possible to reduce travel time.

4. Reduce wasted time by thinking ahead and being organised. Eg. what tools and equipment will you need for the day? How much pure water will you need?

5. If working in pairs or in a group, be organised so that you work efficiently and discreetly. Carry out the same routine each time on each job so each staff member knows what is next to do.

6. Do your best work first and the poor work last so that if you fall behind it is the poor work that is missed.

7. Do your very best to stick to your scheduled times for each round.

8. Try using a good window cleaning software program to organise your work schedule and accounts.

9. Have a routine of regular end of day jobs to be done in preparation for the next day.

10. Collect payment by cheque, BACS or standing order rather than door to door collecting.

General Tips

1. Make it clear from the start and train your customers to accept that you work in light rain.

2. Work quickly but not at the expense of quality.

3. Have public liability insurance and employers liability if you employ others.